Whilst writing the story of “Marguerite,” it crossed my mind to wonder just how fortunate are the children of the 21st century, relative to those of a bygone age? These days, a child’s place within the family is celebrated by parents who strive to structure their time and resources around an offspring’s needs and desires. During the 19th century, a girl such as Marguerite spent a sheltered childhood almost entirely isolated from the outside world, and was expected to conform to a restricted lifestyle. Unlike this far-from-usual girl, who appalled her family by dressing like a boy to race about her father’s estate on a horse. Nevertheless, she – as other girls of aristocratic status – was viewed as little more than a chattel to be disposed of at will or for...